NationTalk: Reflecting the national significance of this commemoration, the Survivor-led Steering Committee sought consensus from the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation and Survivors before selecting the Monument site, which is located on traditional Algonquin territory
OTTAWA, TRADITIONAL UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, June 20, 2023 – In keeping with the spirit and intent of Call to Action #81 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Survivor-led Steering Committee announced today that the Residential Schools National Monument will be installed on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa. The site, near West Block, was blessed by Elders during a special ceremony.
The Residential Schools National Monument will be a meeting place where Indigenous people and all Canadians can gather to honour Survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities.
Reflecting the national significance of this commemoration, the Survivor-led Steering Committee worked in collaboration and sought consensus from the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation and Survivors before selecting the Monument site, which is located on traditional unceded Algonquin territory. This consensus is a first for any monument on Parliament Hill.
The 16-member Survivor-led Steering Committee was established to oversee the Monument project through to its completion. It will continue to provide advice and guidance on such matters as the Monument design process and the development of educational content and programming, and to ensure the project remains grounded in Indigenous values.Quotes
“We worked in collaboration with the Algonquin people to decide that the Residential Schools National Monument will be located on Parliament Hill. There is no better place than the national capital to bring Canadians and visitors together to honour the lives impacted and lost to residential schools.”
—Eugene Arcand, Cree Survivor
“Having Inuit input into the location of this National Monument is of great importance to our communities and the Inuit people who suffered greatly in residential schools. Our voices are as strong as our will, and I am proud to represent the Inuit on this committee dedicated to honouring Survivors.”
—Navalik Tologanak, Inuit Survivor
“We took great care in finding a prominent location worthy of the National Monument dedicated to residential school Survivors and those who did not make it home. It is our hope that this site on Parliament Hill will bring visitors from across the globe to learn about our history and what Indigenous people endured in these institutions.”
—Jimmy Durocher, Métis SurvivorQuick Facts
The selected site, near West Block on Parliament Hill, will be able to accommodate ceremonies, commemorations and special events.
On April 2022, a Survivor-led Steering Committee was established to oversee the monument project through to its completion.Related Products
Government of Canada enhances support to Indigenous communities to respond to and heal from the ongoing impacts of residential schoolsAssociated Links
Residential Schools National Monument
Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 81
$20 million set aside to build the Residential Schools National Monument
For further information: For more information (media only), please contact: National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation media@emdashagency.ca; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, media@pch.gc.ca